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How Bengali Artisans and Traditional Craft Keep Delhi Durga Puja Alive in the Age of AI
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News18•09-10-2026, 11:15
How Bengali Artisans and Traditional Craft Keep Delhi Durga Puja Alive in the Age of AI
- •Artisans from West Bengal travel to New Delhi's CR Park ahead of Durga Puja to craft traditional clay idols by hand.
- •Sculptor Abhijeet Mandal emphasizes that artificial intelligence cannot replicate the human touch, patience, and intricate detailing required for idol making.
- •Artisans migrate for seasonal work because Delhi offers slightly higher earnings compared to their hometowns in West Bengal.
- •Folk artist Bapi Ghosh preserves traditional Pattachitra and Kalighat paintings, passing down ancestral storytelling crafts through generations.
- •The younger generation in Delhi actively participates in building pandals and decorating, connecting deeply with their cultural heritage before the festival begins.
Key Questions Answered
Artisans like Abhijeet Mandal travel from West Bengal to New Delhi's CR Park for the festive season because Delhi offers better earnings, with monthly pay reaching around Rs 15,000 to 16,000 compared to Rs 10,000 to 12,000 back home.
The wooden arch represents the traditional homecoming of Durga and her children to their maternal home. According to elder traditions, an image of Lord Shiva is placed above the goddess to symbolize his permission for Uma to make the journey.
Delhi Tourism is organizing seven spiritual and heritage walks at CR Park under the “Dilli Sabki Hai” initiative from October 11 to 19. These walks cover the history of CR Park, idol-making, Kumartuli craftsmanship, puja traditions, and local food.
